Legal People

Foster, Swift, Collins, & Smith PC

Three attorneys from the Southfield office of Foster, Swift, Collins, & Smith PC have been selected to the 2020 Michigan Super Lawyers list while four others have been selected as “Rising Stars.”

2020 Michigan Super Lawyers and their area(s) of practice for which they are listed:

Dirk H. Beckwith—Business Litigation

Julie I. Fershtman—Civil Litigation: Defense

Paul J. Millenbach—Business Litigation

2020 “Rising Stars” List and their area(s) of practice for which they are listed:

Alicia W. Birach—Workers’ Compensation

Adam A. Fadly—Civil Litigation: Defense

Joseph B. Gale—Civil Litigation: Defense

Rachel G. Olney—General Litigation

In addition to being listed in Super Lawyers, Julie Fershtman was also listed in the “Top 100 Michigan Super Lawyers” and the “Top 50 Women Michigan Super Lawyers.”

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Kerr Russell

Super Lawyers named 11 Kerr Russell members to the list of 2020 Michigan Super Lawyers and included four Kerr Russell attorneys on the list of 2020 Michigan Rising Stars.

Kerr Russell’s 2020 Michigan Super Lawyers list inlcudes:

Jason W. Bank – Bankruptcy; Business Law

James R. Cambridge – Business/Corporate Law

Michael D. Carroll – Construction Litigation

Mark M. Cunningham – Surety Law

Fred K. Herrmann – Business Litigation

Mark C. Knoth – Business Litigation

Eric I. Lark – Business/Corporate Law

Stephen D. McGraw – Personal Injury Medical Malpractice Law – Defense

Daniel J. Schulte – Health Care Law

Joanne Geha Swanson – Civil Litigation – Defense

James E. Tamm – Personal Injury Medical Malpractice Law – Defense

Kerr Russell’s 2020 Michigan Rising Stars list includes:

William C. Blasses – Bankruptcy; Business Law

Daniel J. Ferris – Business Litigation

Jeffrey A. May – Business Litigation

Anna Valk – Real Estate Law

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Dickinson Wright PLLC

Dickinson Wright PLLC is pleased to announce that 52 of the firm’s attorneys have been named 2020 Michigan Super Lawyers. Twenty-five Dickinson Wright attorneys have been named 2020 Michigan Super Lawyers “Rising Stars,”

Local Dickinson Wright attorneys recognized on this year’s Michigan Super Lawyers list include:

Detroit

Dennis W. Archer, Business Litigation

Allison R. Bach, Bankruptcy: Business

Richard M. Bolton, Mergers & Acquisitions

William T. Burgess, Bankruptcy: Business

James N. Candler Jr., Real Estate

David R. Deromedi, Labor & Employment

Phillip J. DeRosier, Appellate

K. Scott Hamilton, Business Litigation

Mark R. High, Business/Corporate

Steven G. Howell, Bankruptcy: Business

Timothy H. Howlett, Labor & Employment

W. Anthony Jenkins, Real Estate

Thomas G. McNeill, Business Litigation

Sharon R. Newlon, Environmental

Francis R. Ortiz, Business Litigation

James A. Plemmons, Creditor Debtor Rights

William P. Shield Jr., Banking

Theodore B. Sylwestrzak, Bankruptcy: Business

Kathryn S. Wood, Employment Litigation: Defense

L. Pahl Zinn, Business Litigation

Troy

Stephen E. Dawson, Real Estate

J. Benjamin Dolan, Business Litigation

Terence M. Donnelly, Government Finance

Deborah L. Grace, Employee Benefits

Henry M. Grix, Estate & Probate

Craig W. Hammond, Government Finance

Robert P. Hurlbert, Criminal Defense: White Collar

Monica J. Labe, Real Estate

Elizabeth L. Luckenbach, Estate & Trust Litigation

Anna M. Maiuri, Environmental

Cynthia A. Moore, Employee Benefits

Gregory W. Moore, Health Care

Mahesh K. Nayak, Business Litigation

Edward H. Pappas, Business Litigation

Richard W. Paul, Business Litigation

Scott A. Petz, Business Litigation

Daniel D. Quick, Business Litigation

Peter H. Webster, Eminent Domain

Mark E. Wilson, Health Care

Katheryne L. Zelenock, Real Estate

Local Dickinson Wright attorneys recognized on this year’s Michigan Super Lawyers Rising Stars list include:

Detroit

Farayha Arrine, Civil Litigation: Defense

Aaron V. Burrell, Business Litigation

Patrick B. Green, Business Litigation

Salina M. Hamilton, Business Litigation

Nicole Sappingfield, Mergers & Acquisitions

Adam J. Wallace, Business/Corporate

Troy

Alison Duffy, Personal Injury – General: Plaintiff

Eric W. Gregory, Employee Benefits

Erin Johnson, Real Estate

Michael J. Lusardi, Real Estate

James A. Martone, Business Litigation

Eric McGlothlin, Government Finance

Joseph Owens, Estate Planning

Joseph Pytel, Intellectual Property

Alma Sobo, Business Litigation

Rose Willis, Health Care

In addition, Dickinson Wright is pleased to announce that five of the firm’s attorneys have been recognized in Michigan Super Lawyers 2020 Top Lists.

Dickinson Wright attorneys recognized on this year’s Michigan Super Lawyers Top Lists include:

Henry M. Grix – Estate & Probate, is ranked among the Top 100 Lawyers in Michigan.

Elizabeth L. Luckenbach – Estate & Trust Litigation, is ranked among the Top 50 Women Lawyers in Michigan and the Top 100 Lawyers in Michigan.

Thomas G. McNeill – Business Litigation, is ranked among the Top 100 Lawyers in Michigan.

Edward H. Pappas – Business Litigation, is ranked among the Top 100 Lawyers in Michigan.

Daniel D. Quick – Business Litigation, is ranked among the Top 100 Lawyers in Michigan.

Dickinson Wright is also pleased to announce that the firm’s real estate practice is ranked as the #2 real estate law group for the second year in a row in the “Best of the Best” report, published by Midwest
Real Estate News. This is the sixth year in a row that Dickinson Wright has been among the top three law firms on the list.

“We are honored to once again be named the number two law firm practice by Midwest Real Estate News,” says Michael Lusardi, practice group chair for real estate. “Our outstanding team of real estate attorneys work diligently alongside our clients every day to provide them with superior client service and expertise for their real estate needs.”

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Kemp Klein

Kemp Klein congratulates the following attorneys on their selection to the 2020 Michigan Super Lawyers list:

William B. Acker

C. Leslie Banas

Joseph P. Buttiglieri

Ralph A. Castelli Jr.

Mark R. Filipp

George W. Gregory

Brian R. Jenney

Alan A. May

Brian H. Rolfe

Amy A. Stawski

Thomas V. Trainer

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Bodman PLC

Bodman PLC is pleased to announce that 56 of the firm’s attorneys have been included in the 2020 edition of Michigan Super Lawyers.

Local Bodman attorneys listed in Michigan Super Lawyers 2020 are:

Detroit

Marc M. Bakst, Bankruptcy: Business)

Andrew H. Curoe, Estate Planning & Probate)

Brandon M. Dalziel, Health Care

Laurence B. Deitch, Business/Corporate

Robert J. Diehl Jr., Creditor-Debtor Rights

Kathleen O’Callaghan Hickey, Banking

George G. Kemsley, Business Litigation

Joseph J. Kochanek, Banking

David P. Larsen, Estate Planning & Probate

Dennis J. Levasseur, Securities Litigation

Ralph E. McDowell, Bankruptcy: Business

Joseph G. Nuyen Jr., Health Care

Rebecca D. O’Reilly, Employee Benefits

Jeffrey G. Raphelson, Business Litigation

Nicholas P. Scavone Jr., Real Estate

Joseph J. Shannon, Business Litigation

Larry R. Shulman, Banking

Brian R. Trumbauer, Creditor-Debtor Rights

Troy

Courtland W. Anderson, Intellectual Property

J. Adam Behrendt, Business Litigation

John T. Below, Employment & Labor

John C. Cashen, Employment & Labor

Steven R. Cole, Real Estate

Anthony P. Cracchiolo, Estate Planning & Probate

Michelle Thurber Czapski, Business Litigation

Gary S. Fealk, Employment Litigation: Defense

Marguerite Munson Lentz, Estate Planning & Probate

Andrew Z. Spilkin, Real Estate

Thomas J. Tallerico, Business Litigation

Thomas Van Dusen, Business Litigation

David B. Walters, Employee Benefits

Local Bodman attorneys selected for the 2020 Michigan Rising Stars list are:

Detroit

Christopher A. Attar, Tax

Sarah L. Cylkowski, Business Litigation

Nathan D. Dupes, Business Litigation

Kelly M. Lockman, Real Estate

Jay B. Long, Estate & Probate

Julia C. Massaro, Estate & Probate

Thomas J. Rheaume Jr., Business Litigation

Whitney Aidenbaum Silfen, Mergers & Acquisitions

Adam S. Weiner, Banking

Troy

Donovan S. Asmar, Business Litigation

Jonathan S. Berg, Business/Corporate

Robert J. Cambridge, Business/Corporate

Katherine F. Cser, Employment & Labor

Amanda J. Frank, Business Litigation

Ryan M. Olson, Business/Corporate

Brian J. Stone, Banking

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Butzel Long

 Forty-five Butzel Long attorneys have been named to the 2020 Super Lawyers list.

List of local Butzel Long 2020 Michigan Super Lawyers:

Bloomfield Hills office

Carey A. DeWitt, Employment & Labor

Debra A. Geroux, Health Care

Beth S. Gotthelf, Environmental

Robert A. Hudson, Business/Corp.

Susan L. Johnson, Environmental

Thomas A. Kabel, Real Estate

Kaveh Kashef. Business Litigation

Sheldon H. Klein, Antitrust Litigation

Robin Luce Herrmann, edia/Advertising

Daniel J. McCarthy, Appellate

Max J. Newman, Bankruptcy: Business

Richard E. Rassel, Business Litigation

Craig S. Schwartz, Employment & Labor

David W. Sommerfeld, Estate & Probate

Daniel B. Tukel, Employment Litigation: Defense

Detroit office

James C. Bruno, Business/Corp.

Clara DeMatteis Mager, Immigration: Business

David J. DeVine, Business Litigation

George B. Donnini, Criminal Defense: White Collar

Arthur Dudley II, Mergers & Acquisitions

David F. DuMouchel, Criminal Defense: White Collar

Bernard J. Fuhs, Business Litigation

Cynthia J. Haffey, Business Litigation

John P. Hancock Jr., Employment & Labor

Justin G. Klimko, Mergers & Acquisitions

Phillip C. Korovesis, Business Litigation

Mark R. Lezotte, Health Care

Reginald A. Pacis, Immigration: Business

Daniel R.W. Rustmann, Business Litigation

Bruce L. Sendek, Business Litigation

The Butzel Long attorneys included in the 2020 Super Lawyers Rising Stars list are:

Javon R. David, Personal Injury: General

Michael C. Decker, Business Litigation

Jennifer A. Dukarski, Intellectual Property Litigation

Damien DuMouchel, Criminal Defense: White Collar

Michael R. Griffie, Schools & Education

Mark W. Jane, Employee Benefits

Paul M. Mersino, Business Litigation

Joseph E. Richotte, Criminal Defense: White Collar

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Harness Dickey

Harness Dickey is pleased to announce that two attorneys from its Metro Detroit office were recently named to the 2020 list of Michigan Super Lawyers, while one was named to the Rising Stars list. The selected attorneys include:

Michigan Super Lawyers 2020

Lisabeth Coakley

Glenn Forbis

Michigan Rising Stars 2020

Tim Martin

In addition, Harness Dickey is pleased to announce that Metro Detroit patent attorney Robert (Bob) Siminski and fellow members of the Intellectual Property Owners Association’s (IPO) Asian Practice
Committee received the Outstanding Committee of the Year Award at this year’s virtual Annual Meeting. This marks the second time in three years that the Asian Practice Committee has won IPO’s Outstanding Committee of the Year Award. Siminski serves as vice chair of the Asian Practice Committee.

The Asian Practice Committee identifies, monitors, studies, and recommends IPO positions regarding intellectual property licensing, enforcement, and acquisition issues in Asian jurisdictions such as China, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and India. The committee frequently travels to Asia to visit patent and trademark offices and learn from IP officials about the latest developments in local IP laws. The committee then shares information and commentary with IPO members.

Siminski has a longstanding practice that includes counseling Asian companies and partnering with law firms in Asia. As a registered patent attorney and Principal with Harness Dickey, he focuses on drafting, prosecuting, enforcing, and licensing patents, with a particular emphasis on chemical and mechanical technologies. He also handles intellectual property related due diligence, portfolio management and analyses, strategic counseling, valuations, and patentability opinions.

Siminski obtained his law degree from Michigan State University College of Law and a B.S. in Chemistry from the University of Detroit Mercy.

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Fraser Trebilcock

Fraser Trebilcock is excited to welcome attorney Klint Kesto to the firm where he will focus on litigation and general business law.

Immediately prior to joining the firm, Klint worked for his own law firm, where he handled general civil and criminal matters, and also had a government consulting practice. After winning the November 2012 election, Klint was recognized by the Chaldean American Bar Association as the first Chaldean elected to the Michigan House of Representatives.

Through his three terms, Kesto served on several House committees, working tirelessly for the betterment of his constituents and the people of Michigan. He was appointed chair of the House Committee on Judiciary during the 2015-2016 term, charmain of the House Committee on Law & Justice for the 2017-2018 term, and served as co-chair for the C.A.R.E.S. Task Force. In 2018, Kesto was recognized as the “Legislator of the Year” by MIRS, and recognized by MADD as a three-time “Legislator of the Year.”

Earlier in his career, Kesto worked for the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office as an assistant prosecuting attorney, the U.S. Department of Energy, and the U.S. Department of Justice.

Kesto graduated from Wayne State University Law School, and also has a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Michigan. He is an active member of the Chaldean American Chamber of Commerce, the Chaldean Bar Association, the Small Business Association of Michigan, and serves as the Legislative co-chair for the Oakland County Bar Association.

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Secrest Wardle

Secrest Wardle is pleased to announce that nine attorneys have been named by Super Lawyers magazine to the 2020 Michigan Super Lawyers list which includes:

Daniel P. Makarski,  Alternative Dispute Resolution

Drew W. Broaddu, Appellate

Justin L. Cole and Mark E. Morley, Civil Litigation – Defense

Bruce A. Truex, General Litigation

Thomas J. Azoni, Nathan J. Edmonds, and John L. Weston, Personal Injury General - Defense

Derk W. Beckerleg, State/Local/Municipal

In addition, Brandon C. Hagaman joins Secrest Wardle’s Troy location as a partner with more than 5 years of experience. Hagaman has successfully represented insurance companies in a range of first and third-party no-fault, bodily injury, and premises liability claims. Additionally, he has managed subrogation, commercial, contract, and real estate matters. Hagaman is a member of the firm’s Motor Vehicle Litigation and Premises Liability Practice Groups.

Hagaman earned his law degree from Western Michigan University Cooley Law School and received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology, minor in Political Science and Sociology, from Oakland University.

Hagaman is licensed to practice law in the State of Michigan. He is a member of the State Bar of Michigan’s Young Lawyers Section.

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Plunkett Cooney

Scott H. Sirich, a partner at Plunkett Cooney, was recently appointed to serve a three-year term on the city of Birmingham Board of Building Trades Appeals.

Sirich was appointed to the position unanimously by the Birmingham Board of Commissioners. His three-year term concludes on May 23, 2023.

“I’ve never done anything like this before, and I thought it would be great if I could give something back to my community,” said Sirich who works in the firm’s Bloomfield Hills office. “There aren’t too many local opportunities to lend a hand in my particular area of practice, so I think serving on this board is a perfect fit for me.”

The Birmingham Board of Building Trades Appeals hears and grants or denies requests for variances from strict application of the provisions of the Michigan Building, Residential, Mechanical and Plumbing Codes and the National Electrical Code. The board rules on matters pertaining to specific code requirements related to the construction or materials to be used in the erection, alteration or repair of a building or structure.

A partner at Plunkett Cooney since 2001, Sirich joined the firm a few years after graduating from Wayne State University Law School in 1992. He received his undergraduate degrees in English and economics from the University of Michigan in 1989.

Sirich focuses his practice in the area of construction law with particular expertise in the defense of litigation involving architect and engineer liability. He also practices in the areas of insurance law, occupational health and safety law and general commercial litigation. His clients include architectural and engineering design firms, construction managers, general contractors, subcontractors, owners, and developers. In addition to the direct representation of clients, Sirich serves as approved litigation defense panel counsel for some of the nation’s leading insurance providers.

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Michigan Auto Law

Michigan Auto Law has announced that 12 of its attorneys have recently been honored with the legal profession’s top awards, including 2020 Michigan Super Lawyers; 2020 Rising Stars; The Best Lawyers in America© for 2021; and  2021 Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch. Michigan Auto Law attorneys earned 18 awards altogether.

The following is the list of Michigan Auto Law attorneys and the awards they received:

• Steven M. Gursten has been recognized on the Best Lawyers in America list annually for the past 12 years, named to the list of Michigan Super Lawyers for 13 years straight as well as included in Super Lawyers’ lists of the Top 50 and Top 100 lawyers in Michigan for the 10th straight year.

• Lawrence E. Gursten has been listed on The Best Lawyers in America list annually for the past 12 years and recognized on the list of Michigan Super Lawyers for 14 years straight.

• Leonard M. Koltonow has been recognized on The Best Lawyers in America list annually for the past 7 years and selected as a Michigan Super Lawyer for 13 years straight.  He has been named one of the top trial attorneys in the state by the Michigan Association for Justice.

• Robert M. Raitt (Bobby) has been recognized on the Best Lawyers in America list annually for the past eight years, named to the list of Michigan Super Lawyers for 12 years straight as well as included in Super Lawyers’ lists of the Top 50 or Top 100 lawyers in Michigan for multiple years.

• Kevin H. Seiferheld was recognized for the first time this year on the Best Lawyers in America list.  He has also been selected as a Michigan Super Lawyer and Rising Star for multiple years since 2011. 
He has made the Michigan Lawyers Weekly list of the top-reported verdicts and settlements in the state for seven of the past eight years for recoveries he has obtained for his clients.

• Thomas W. James has been selected as a Michigan Super Lawyer for multiple years since 2010 as well as included in Super Lawyers’ past list of the Top 50 Michigan Consumer Super  Lawyers.  He was also named a Michigan Lawyers Weekly Up and Coming Lawyer as well as a Michigan Association for Justice Pacesetter.

• Brandon M. Hewitt has been recognized as a Michigan Super Lawyer annually since 2013 and has been named on Grand Rapids Magazine’s list of Top Lawyers for 2019 and 2020.  He also recently became a member of the Executive Board of the Michigan Association of Justice.

• Joshua R. Terebelo has been recognized on the list of Michigan Rising Stars for multiple years since 2010.  He was also named in the “Top 40 Under 40” by the National Trial Lawyers Association.

• Jordan M. Jones was recognized for the first time this year on the Best Lawyers: Ones To Watch list for 2021 and has also been selected to the Michigan Super Lawyers’ Rising Stars list annually since 2015. He has also been named a Michigan Lawyers Weekly Up & Coming Lawyer.

• Alexander P. Kemp has been selected to the Michigan Super Lawyers’ Rising Stars list annually since 2018.

• Rick J. Houghton has been recognized on the Michigan Super Lawyers’ Rising Stars list annually since 2014 and has been named one of Grand Rapids Magazine’s Top Lawyers for 2020.

• Alexus B. Ringstad was recognized for the first time this year on the Super Lawyers’ Rising Stars list.

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McKeen & Associates

Six McKeen & Associates attorneys were recently named as Super Lawyers for 2020, and five as Rising Stars.

Brian McKeen, managing partner, was named to the Super Lawyers list under the practice area of Medical Malpractice, Plaintiff, along with Jody Aaron, Richard Counsman, Terry Dawes, and Norman Rosen. David Tirella was named in the practice area of General, Plaintiff.

McKeen attorneys Steven Hurbis, Andrew Kay, Kenneth Lee, John Malone, and Erik Proulx were named as Rising Stars in the practice area of Medical Malpractice, Plaintiff.